J.R. Scott, 35, of Los Angeles reaches for one of the beer glasses in his taster sampler at the Bruery in Placentia. JOSH MORGAN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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Kelly Lawrence, 24, of San Diego, left, Emily Ohlhaver, 24, of Newport Beach and other beer enthusiasts walk through the brewing tanks during a tour of the Bruery in Placentia. JOSH MORGAN, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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The atmosphere is convivial and the crowd is Gen X and younger at Beach City Brewery. PHILIP E. BETTENCOURT, CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER

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Humulus Wet bubbles beautifully. The Bruery's fresh-hop beer is available only during the hop harvest. The Bruery is a small craft brewery located in Placentia. CINDY YAMANAKA, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Craft beer is a big, fizzy sea of bubbles that stubbornly refuse to burst.

Once a rarified subculture populated by science-minded types who could bore you silly with their knowledge of natural yeast and Brettanomyces bacteria, small-batch breweries now appeal to a much larger demographic and are sprouting everywhere.

Some have compared the craft beer explosion to the rapid growth of the fine-wine movement a generation ago. But the suds nuts are a different breed. They don’t care about stemware, cheese plates, soft lighting and tasting rooms that look like swank European hotel lobbies. They’re flocking instead to industrial-looking production facilities crammed with huge tanks and other brewing equipment. Some talk like sommeliers about the correct beer-with-food pairing, but most are happy to snag a great grilled cheese sandwich off the food trucks that pull up to their favorite breweries on busy days -- these places don’t serve food. The mood is convivial. Everyone sits with friends and strangers at long communal tables.

So who, exactly, is filling up local craft tasting rooms on Saturdays and laying down serious bucks for brews?

According to the Brookston Beer Bulletin, they’re Gen Xers, for the most part, and – no surprise here – they’re overwhelmingly male (95.1 percent).

More than 41 percent of craft beer fans are 35 to 49 years old. Most of the rest are split evenly between younguns (25-34) and Boomers (50-65). They’re also well educated. More than 21 percent have graduate degrees and 8.5 percent of them have doctorates. (There’s still some truth to the “beer geek” label.) They’re also more likely than the general population to buy organic foods, and they’re into biking and running.

Craft beer fans can be just as fussy as wine snobs. Wil Dee, partner and beverage director of Haven Gastropub in Orange, makes sure not to over-order at the company’s nearby storefront, Provisions Market, which has 30 beer taps and lists its large and ever-changing selection on a wall behind the registers.

“I’ve learned that if I have a bunch of the same kind of beer then everyone gets bored,” Dee said. “Local has always been my push, but if I can get something from Washington, Oregon or even overseas then I will definitely put that in (the line-up) to expose the local market to something a little more exotic.”

Dee’s main concern is freshness – most craft beer is unpasteurized -- but it’s less of an issue than it used to be. “You have a lot of great technology now, such as silver bladder bags that don’t allow any light inside. As long as it’s shipped cold and quick and doesn’t get exposed to light, there’s an excellent chance that the beer will be perfectly fine.”

Veteran brewmaster Victor Novak, who recently ended his 15-year tenure at Taps Fishhouse & Brewery in Brea and Corona, has watched his universe morph from clubby to all-inclusive over the last decade. “The Bruery and other places like it around the country definitely kicked up the cool factor,” Novak said. “There’s a community of beer drinkers now that’s every bit as knowledgeable and serious as the wine community -- just a little friendlier.”

Novak laughed. “The only big difference is the beer guys are little geekier. And the wine crowd seems to attract more beautiful women.”

Orange County is home to more than two dozen places that are making their own beer, with more on the way in hipster havens such as downtown Santa Ana.

Come along on a special edition Libations tour to some of our best local craft breweries. The line-up changes often; these brews might not be available when you visit.

This recent addition to O.C.’s craft beer scene is one of the friendliest places I visited. The servers knew their beers, and everyone at the communal tables spread around the brewery was chatty and opinionated, but not in an obnoxious, “my way or the highway” fashion.

- Beach Cruiser (2.8 percent): This Berlinerweissen is very light and uses Waldmeister syrup, a German summertime favorite, which imparts a pleasantly tart and fruity taste (it’s added when they pour). It reminds me of that warm-weather British staple, lager and lime, created when a light lager is topped with a bit of Rose’s lime and often fresh-squeezed lime juice. It’s low in alcohol and refreshing, so you can drink more than one without throwing a wrench into your day.

A boisterous, bare-bones hangout near the train tracks, dominated by a big patio where the beard-and-watchcap crowd mingles with middle-aged beer geeks. Not the prettiest location, but who cares? The brews are solid.

This large tasting room is always packed, and for good reason. O.C.’s best craft brewery has won national awards and continues to improve on a good thing.

- Hottenroth (3.1 percent): This popular Bruery offering is a Berliner-style wheat ale, very tart in character. But it performs a curious U-turn: its mouth-puckering sour start leads to a mild and refreshing finish with plenty of lemon, making it a perfect summer beer.

Trade Winds (8.6 perecent): A Belgian Tripelinfused with Thai basil. Small bubbles; only slightly carbonated. A bit sweet at the start, with a fairly dry, mineralish finish. There’s a curious trace of caramel mid-palate.

If you’re looking for a watering hole with some class, atmosphere and decent food to go with your craft beer, then this is your best bet in north O.C. Parking can be tricky at lunch and on the weekends, though: Wallet, I mean valet, parking is sometimes your only choice.

- Crystal Pils (5.6 percent): An unfiltered German/American-style Pilsner. Very light color. Lemon-y with a strong, high note of evergreen and a clean finish. Its name comes from Crystal hops, developed in the Pacific Northwest in the 1980s.

- Thomas Jefferson (9.5 percent): An American strong ale. “We try to follow the recipe that Thomas Jefferson’s brewmaster used at Monticello,” said Taps’ former brewmaster Victor Novak. Rich red-brown in color, with hints of toffee and strawberry. Complex, malty, slightly nutty finish.

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